1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an athletic hand glove and, more particularly, to a cycling hand glove having palm-located pads or cushions for use over a bicycle handlebar. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing cycling hand gloves including cushioning pads in the palm area.
2) Description of the Prior Art
When riding a bicycle, a cyclist usually grasps the handlebar with his hands. It is critical that the cyclist's hands have a good command and control of the handlebars, as they provided inter alia for directional control of the bicycle, center of gravity stability control of the cyclist and bicycle assembly, proper positioning and access for actuating the wheel braking system if need arises.
Cyclists tend to use hand gloves for improved comfort. Some of these hand gloves include pads inside the palm of the glove for comfort cushioning between the palm of the hand and the handlebar. Moreover, they provide protection to the hands of the cyclist in the case of a fall, and they minimize abrasion to the hands of the cyclist.
As the cyclist pedals to maintain the bicycle in motion in upright dynamic stability condition over ground, corresponding muscular exercise is generated, and thus bodily heat and perspiration levels increase. In particular, perspiration levels tend to increase substantially at the ends of the limbs, i.e. at the feet and hands.
Therefore, some cycling gloves include perforated mesh material allowing free escape and release of moisture from the hand palm perspiration. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,519 describes a hand glove for use over a bicycle handlebar by a cyclist. The glove includes a perforated palm area and a few cushioning pads surrounding the palm area. The cushioning pads are closedly spaced from one another so as to define at least a few air channels formed radially between the cushioning pads. The bodily moisture escaping from the perforated palm area escape through the air channels, even when a bicycle handlebar is grasped.
However, the cushioning pads are relative thick members and do not allow the escape of moisture located between the cyclist hand and the cushioning pads, especially when the gloves engage the handlebar. Therefore, moisture build-up between the cyclist hand and the cushioning pads tends to be most acute. There is thus a need for a hand glove combining both qualities, i.e. the comfort provided by the cushioning pads and an adequate ventilation between the cyclist's hand and the exterior of the hand glove.